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Significance of the Coupling between Saturation Vapour Pressure Deficit and Rainfall in Monsoon Climates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

J. L. Monteith
J. L. Monteith
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
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Summary

In monsoon climates, the mean daytime saturation vapour pressure deficit (D), measured at screen height, decreases from a maximum of 3–4 kPa attained several months before rain arrives to a minimum of 0.5–1 kPa in the month of highest rainfall. Climatic records from India and West Africa were analysed to give the relation between D and precipitation (P mm month−1) as:

where n ranged from 0.5 to 0.9 between stations.

The dependence of dry matter production on D and therefore on P is evaluated when growth is restricted by rain and when this restriction is removed by irrigation. In the first case, the decrease in demand for water associated with a decrease in D is comparable in importance with the increase of water supply (P). The analysis has implications for the marginal response of crops to supplemental irrigation and for the interpretation of experiments with a line-source or rain-shelter.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , October 1986 , pp. 329 - 338
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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